Well I will have to check this out. Recently my wife got me "hooked" on Vons brand (Select, I think) Spumoni. What I find interesting is that when it's not on sale it's like three and a half bucks or so... but when it's "buy one, get one free" it's like almost six bucks for one... where is the "free"?

As far as the size goes I'm not real sure... you're probably right though, probably not a true "half gallon"... kind of like a two by four, they are actually like 1.75 by 3.75... 2 by 4 is the unfinished size... you know before they surface it.... maybe there is an ice cream finisher... I might have to go down to District Blvd. and put in an application !!

I noticed a similar trend when purchasing cola.  I saw Pepsi for $3 and I thought "wow, $3 for a 12-pack of Pepsi, what a deal!" WRONG.  It's for an 8 pack.  That would make it $4.50 per 12 pack if you bought three of them.  And to think, the 12 pack by itself is "only" $4.  Sneaky buggers!

My favorite Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream is like three something for and itsy bitsy container, but for a society that routinely spends $7 for a slapped together disgusting fast food hamburger, what's a few dollars more for something GOOD?  I visited a store my ex owns the other night, called "Holy Gelato", and talk about pricey...Italian ice cream IMHO doesn't taste any better than "American" ice cream but costs a whole lot more!  No wonder the economy is in a slump and businesses failing - people can't afford to do anything but spend time at home, whether it's drinking, eating (ice cream!) or watching a movie.

I noticed the soda thing too with the eight packs.   I don't buy soda that way since I buy Shasta by the 4 pack at 99.9 (notice the addition on the price) stores.  It's 79 for 4 where I used to pay a dollar for 6.  @ 79 for 4 it's 19.75 cents per can.  @ 99 cents for 6 it's 16.5 cents per can.  HA, slick marketing.    So, you're actually paying 118.5 ish for a six pack and that's about what it runs in stores.  Or therabouts.   It's all about marketing.

When I was much younger I wore a size 5-6  then a 7-8.  Now kids my (then) size are wearing 1-2's or maybe a three.  It makes women feel better if the size is smaller.

But I'm much more troubled about the ice cream.  I know people who work at the Nestle plant (if that's who still owns it) and they get all kinds of free ice cream or super deals.  I wonder if they need a floor sweeper?  An ice cream taster?  A quality control person?

Nancy, the size difference began about a year ago.  We buy Thrifty ice cream at RiteAid.  The first thing we noticed was a change in the packaging style, then the ice cream didn't seem to provide as many servings.  So, we checked the package info -- sure enough, our usual 1/2 gallon was now only 1.75 quarts!  Sneaky way to raise prices, if you ask me!  And, in the past few months, they've also raised the price to $3.45 rather than the previous $2.50 per 1/2 gallon!  Can't win for losing!!

Pay more, Get less. It's our new National slogan.

The ice cream switch has been going on for quite a while, actually; the reduced number in a soda pack is a bit more recent.  They aren't the only things that are "Pay more, Get less" (so true, H8cloz).  Do you buy packaged salads?  Many of those are now less than 12 oz, some as little as 5 oz.  Tuna?  When was the last time you saw a 6 oz can of tuna?  They went from 5.5 oz down to their current 5 oz.

Every time I shop at Food Maxx or FoodCo, something has been downsized or priced higher. Even 99-Cent stores have downsized packages. Some of it has gotten ridiculous. I don't care what anybody says or thinks, there is no justification for a downsized box of stale cereal costing $4.

But it isn't the downsizing or the price hikes that offend me most. It is the condescending attitude manufacturers have toward consumers; like we're actually that stupid.

Great!  Just what I need--LESS ice cream!  I actually hadn' t noticed this, so thanks for the heads up, Nancy.  We usually buy either Ben & Jerry's (Cherry Garcia--I'm totally with you on that one, Bartley) if it's just a late-night snack attack for me and my husband, or Dreyers if we feel like sharing with the kids.  I actually did notice the "buy one for twice the price get the second one seemingly for free) ploy, but what can I do?  I's gots to have me my ice cream.  I wonder if making my own would be cheaper, after buying all the ingredients like milk, etc.  Probably not.

Just about anything these days is like that.. cereal is another example...

Perfect time for me to start my low carb kick again.

It started happening about 10 years ago, Unilever fist did it to keep prices down on "premium" brand prices lower. Bryers and Sealtest were bought from Kraft in about 93,then Ben & Jerry's was bought by Unileaver in about 2000. If you look on the ingredients, it isn't the original "no bull$hit" recipe, they add gums and starches and they do whip the mixture to add air now, 20 years ago, you could not get a spoon in that container because it was so solid. Leave any ice cream out overnight and you have something that resembles cool whip in the morning. It's just not right. Kemp's and Dryer's look the same, but one is Nestle and the other is now a Boston based HP Hood...I'll stop... I could go on and on. New England dairies and their demise at the hand of state regulation is a thorn in my paw.

I hate Coldstone, it's too rich, too sweet. We stopped with the kids at Moo, I didn't get ice cream because I didn't want the disappointment of getting sucky ice cream, I've come to expect to be disappointed with most things West of the Mississippi.

Moo did not suck. I "had to" shape up my 3 year olds cone...and I did more fixing to that cone than needed to be done. It was some cookie mixture, oatmeal raisin and maybe others in it.

I watch for Thrifty prices on sale 2/5 bucks and buy at least two if not 4.   They had a limited editin called cherry chip that makes ya wanta write bad checks.  Whooo.

eggs flour two cartons of whipping cream some ice and rock salt..use your fav flav...

you can find your machine here or wally mart..

http://www.makeicecream.com...

it cost us near *ZIP* to crank out some good old home made yesterday...and we still have left overs..YUM

Thrifty's pumpkin ice cream is an annual tradition in our house. Good stuff. We made some banana ice cream yesterday. Had old, soft bananas...too hot to make banana bread, so...banana ice cream.

Spam code: PITME. I must need tires and gas.

By the way Nancy, those DTV converters are on sale for $40 this week at Target. If you have your coupon, that makes them free. Ice cream might be costly, but at least the DTV is free for this week.

or you can use the coupon at best buy and for a few bucks more you can get one if you miss the sale..target is over 6/6

When I went by Best Buy a couple of weeks ago, all they had left were the Apex boxes that are getting many negative reviews online. They had stacks and stacks of the Apex boxes and the signs on the stacks said the price was $52 something. I wish Best Buy still had the Insight model in stock because it had fantastic reviews, but from what I've read online, production has stopped on that model and the local store is sold out.

Target at least has an RCA box that isn't getting as panned as the Apex. The in-store Target sale lasts this whole week because it was in this week's circular. The picture in the circular was even of the RCA box (although the text in the ad said all converter boxes were on sale for $40). Even if the sale is missed, it's only a smidge under $50 for the RCA at Target at normal prices. FYI, when I bought mine, I was only charged tax on the price left after the coupon was deducted, so if they do that for this sale, you won't even get charged sales tax.

i wish i woulda known about it earlier..just sent off for my coupons

we have reg tv out back in the guest room..the sale woulda been nice to take advantage of..whatever a 40 buck savings is better than nothing..thanks for bringing it to my attention shwaine i got the target 6/6 from google looking for the coupons..probably be all gone by the ime the coupons get here..hay i wonder if i buy one i can redeem the 40 back when the coupon comes in..hehehehehe

My parents and I noticed this months ago. It's been going on for a lot longer than you realized, Nancy. It's really crappy. It especially bites for me, because I live with three boys, and with a smaller carton I rarely ever get my hands on a scoop of ice cream anymore. It really bites when I'm dying for something cold and sweet, but there's nothing in the freezer thanks to the boys. 

Thanks Shwain!  I have errands on the east side in an hour or so and will stop at Target at East Hills. 

I appreciate the heads up..I didn't get a Sunday paper this week and wouldn't have known.

Robin, that's the beauty of no kids.  I even eat mine out of the carton at times.  I found if I put it in a bowl and it end up being more than I wanted I eat it anyway.  If I eat out of the carton I only eat what I want.

Relax folks, I usually keep a spare that I DON'T eat out of for company.    If I don't have a backup, I don't offer ice cream.  Heh..I'll bet you were wondering.

Robin--you sound like my Mom growing up--she had three brothers and it was a mad house.  This problem won't go away when you get married, either.  Ice cream and chips just DISappear around here, and it's because my husband sneaks in the kitchen when no one's looking and eats it all. 

Hey Nancy BTW--how's it going with your little kitten?

IS FOSTERS FREEZE STILL AROUND I LOVED IT 

I've noticed it with ice cream, but what has really hurt me is coffee. From a 14 oz. bag, to 12 oz., and now many of the fair trade varities are only 10 oz. bags. Not much to be done about it --- I'd rather go without an awful lot of things before I'd give up my java, but it sucks rocks having to pay so much for beans.

IS FOSTERS FREEZE STILL AROUND I LOVED IT 

Yeah... there is one on South Real and Wilson (SW corner) and I think there (is/was) one on 34th and Chester (NE corner... across from the Icehouse... although it seems to me that one is something else now?)

 Pay more, Get less. It's our new National slogan

True, that. There was a story on this on 60 Minutes (I think) about a year ago. It is how these companies are raising profits without technically raising prices. It sucks. We have noticed Schwan's has done it on a few things as well. Makes my hubby feel guilty, and he makes certain to alert his customers to the change. He does not agree with this tactic. We just have to all be sure to watch labels from now on.

Recently I found Breyers n sale and grabbed a couple of cartons.

99 Cents store?  :)

July is National Ice Cream month, July 19th is National Ice Cream Day - ladies & gents, get your spoons (or forks) movin!  You have all month to eat ice cream with guilt-free pleasure.  Don't worry about adding inches to your waistline, you now have a reason to eat it...all day, everyday during July!  Enjoy :o) 

There's a FF on Stockdale Why just west of Real Road.

JUST SHOP AT FRESH AND EASY! lol